This invention relates to hoisting bucket assemblies. It more particularly pertains to a hoisting bucket assembly having a releasable bucket providing a tilting discharge.
Hoisting buckets of the general class of the present invention are well known in the art. Weeks, U.S. Pat. No. 2,159,065 discloses a scale box having a similar general function and operation. British Pat. Nos. 334,604 and 547,746 are also of interest.
While the inventions disclosed in the foregoing patents had past utility, the advent of modern large materials-moving machinery makes them of less practical importance. The loading of a hoisting bucket now involves backing a dump truck into the bucket, raising the bed of the truck and dumping its full load into the bucket. This operation, it can be seen, would be impossible with the bail of British Pat. No. 334,604 and inconvenient with the pyramid chain suspension arrangement of U.S. Pat. No. 2,159,065 and British Pat. No. 547,746.
A further area for improvement over the prior art involves the insertion of chains or hooks or the like into the bucket chamber, or the possibility that the chains or hooks will fall into the bucket upon their release. Both of these conditions may increase the undesirable possibility of relatching the hook apparatus after release, or may promote snagging the bucket contents, preventing its complete discharge.
Another condition found in the prior art which promotes the undesirable possibility of non-release is illustrated in British Pat. No. 334,604. It can be seen that under the right conditions the chain may fall back around the shank of the hook, rather than falling loose when the supporting lines are slackened. In that event the bucket would not dump when lifted.
Still another area for improvement over the prior art involves providing a safety factor in the event that the load is accidentally set down, or is accidentally impeded in its descent to a discharge station. With the short, open hooks which are disclosed in the prior art, inadvertent release of the latching mechanism can easily occur.
Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide a self-dumping hoisting bucket assembly, particularly a cargo hoisting bucket assembly capable of transferring large amounts of material and which, when set down at its discharge station, automatically disengages part of its suspension system so that, upon re-lifting, the bucket tips and its contents are discharged.
It is another object of this invention to provide a bucket suspension system around which it is easy to maneuver large materials moving machinery.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a releasable hooking arrangement which is not likely to interfere with the cargo.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a releaseable hooking arrangement which, when released, will not accidentally relatch.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a bucket release mechanism which is not subject to accidental release.